The present invention relates generally to toy figures and, more particularly, to a toy figure having two torso halves releasably held together by an expandable latch which may be activated by a cable in order to release the latch and allow a spring to force the halves apart so that the toy appears to split in half.
In the past, a variety of toy grenades and other simulated detonating toys have been fabricated. Such toys are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,426 issued to Lee on Mar. 16, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,639 issued to Scheelar, et al on Apr. 22, 1975; U.S. Pat. No. 3,564,756 issued to Yokoi on Feb. 23, 1971; U.S. Pat. No. 3,304,650 issued to Glass, et al on Feb. 21, 1967; U.S. Pat. No. 3,139,697 issued to Mier on July 7, 1964; U.S. Pat. No. 3,029,556 issued to Ayala on Apr. 17, 1962; U.S. Pat. No. 2,897,630 issued to Horowitz, et al on Aug. 4, 1959; U.S. Pat. No. 1,536,261 issued to Eames on May 5, 1925; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,367,391 issued to Hofer on Feb. 1, 1921. Toy boats having parts which fly apart or separate upon activation of a mechanism are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,052,841 issued to O'Donnell on Sept. 1, 1936; U.S. Pat. No. 1,859,100 issued to Lewis on May 17, 1932; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,300,177 issued to Kohn on April 8, 1919. Other toys having parts which separate or come apart upon activation of an impact responsive mechanism are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,197 issued to Kulesza, et al on Feb. 18, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 3,734,500 issued to Cooper on May 22, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,452 issued to Thompson on Aug. 29, 1972; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,259 issued to Glass, et al on Feb. 15, 1966.
Different toy figures having detachable parts or appendages which may be removed and replaced or discharged from the toys as projectiles are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,412 issued to Rahmstorf on Jan. 29, 1980; U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,481 issued to Nicholls on Jan. 30, 1979; U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,961 issued to Yamashina on Nov. 21, 1978; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,888 issued to Ogawa on Oct. 10, 1978. Finally, toy figures having fingeractuated mechanisms are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,666 issued to Wolf on Feb. 11, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,961 issued to Barlow, et al on Nov. 28, 1978; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,928,934 issued to Lewis, et al on Dec. 30, 1975.
None of the above patents discloses a toy figure having two torso halves releasably held together by an expandable latch which a child may activate by pressing a cable button with his or her thumb in order to release the latch and allow a spring to force the torso halves apart A particularly dramatic effect is presented as the torso halves separate since the figure toy appears to split in half. Additional play options are presented if the cable is removable allowing a child to play with the toy figure without the cable attached. Accordingly, there is a need in the toy manufacturing arts for a toy figure having two torso halves releasably held together by an expendable latch which may be activated by a removable cable in order to allow the torso halves to separate so that the toy appears to split in half.